Tributes paid to Zia

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BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, widow of former president Ziaur Rahman, paid tribute at the grave of her late husband along with party leaders and thousands of supporters observing his 28th death anniversary Saturday, reports bdnews24.com.
Khaleda laid a wreath and offered prayers at the Sher-e-Banglanagar mausoleum of the former army chief and President who was assassinated on May 30, 1981 at the Chittagong Circuit House in a 'failed coup' orchestrated by a section of the army.
Khaleda also distributed food among the poor on the Mohammadpur Eidgah grounds.
The BNP launched a three-day programme Friday to observe the death anniversary of the party founder, beginning with a discussion at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh in the city.
On Saturday morning, national and party flags were flying at half-mast at the party headquarters at Naya Paltan.
The anniversary programme will culminate on May 31 with a discussion programme.
Ziaur Rahman, then a major, first came to public notice as he announced Bangladesh's independence war from Kalurghat radio station on behalf of independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 27, 1971.
General Zia, one of the sector commanders of Bangladesh's war of independence, was subsequently widely criticised for imposing military rule and rehabilitating the anti-liberation elements in politics.
He took the charge as the chief of army just after the then President Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with his family members on August 15, 1975 by army men.
On November 7 the same year, Gen Zia became deputy chief martial law administrator under President ASM Sayem's government and took charge as the chief martial law administrator on April 21, 1977.
He was sworn in as President of the state on April 21, 1978.